The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Abelia grown as an ornamental plant for use in the landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Abelia×grandiflora and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘Kaleidoscope’.
‘Kaleidoscope’ was discovered by the inventor in 1997 as a single variegated branch sport on an individual Abelia×grandiflora ‘Little Richard’ (unpatented). The inventor, who manages plant propagation on a nursery in Marshville, N.C., selected ‘Kaleidoscope’ from an individual plant of Abelia ‘Little Richard’ within a crop of ‘Little Richard’. The parent plant is Abelia×grandiflora ‘Little Richard’.‘Kaleidoscope’ is distinguishable from ‘Little Richard’ by dense compact habit, smaller size, and variegated foliage. Abelia ‘Little Richard’ exhibits a larger growth habit and solid-green leaves.
‘Kaleidoscope’ is an ornamental shrub of dense compact habit and variegated foliage. From spring through summer, and into fall and winter, the foliage colors on an individual plant change from green and golden-yellow to orange and fiery-red. Fragrant white flowers appear in mid summer and persist into fall adding a striking contrast against the reddish-purple stems. Light levels influence foliage color and full sun enhances vibrancy of the colors.
Other than the non-variegated parent plant, Abelia ‘Little Richard’, the three closest comparison plants known to the Inventor are the variegated Abelia cultivars Abelia×grandiflora ‘Sunrise’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,698) and Abelia×grandiflora ‘Conti’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,472) and Abelia×grandiflora×chinensis ‘Mardi Gras’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,203).
The leaves of ‘Sunrise’, ‘Conti’, and ‘Marti Gras’, are predominantly green (that is, green coloration occupies approximately 70% to 85% of entire leaf surface), with relatively uniform and slender white or cream-yellow margins occupying approximately 30% to 15% the entire leaf surface.
The leaves of ‘Kaleidoscope’ consists of smaller green blotches which occupy approximately 50% of the entire leaf surface, surrounded by yellow (spring and summer) or orange and red margins which occupy approximately 50% of the leaf surface area.
‘Kaleidoscope’ is most readily distinguished from its parent, ‘Little Richard’ and from the variegated cultivars ‘Sunrise’, ‘Conti’ and ‘Mardi Gras’ by its striking and vibrant fall and winter foliage color that is a mix of golden-yellow, orange and fiery-red.
‘Kaleidoscope’ (and its parent ‘Little Richard’) may also be distinguished from other cultivars of Abelia×grandiflora by plant habit and plant density. ‘Kaleidoscope’ and ‘Little Richard’ appear to be more determinate, requiring minimal pinching or pruning to retain their close dense mounding habit which obscures the stems. ‘Sunrise’, ‘Conti’ and ‘Mardi Gras’ each exhibit stronger apical dominance which results in extended shoot growth and more visibility of their stems.
‘Kaleidoscope’ was first asexually propagated in 1997 by the inventor in North Carolina. Asexual propagation was accomplished using softwood cuttings. Since that time, under careful observation, the distinguishing characteristics of ‘Kaleidoscope’ have been determined stable and uniform, and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.